Playwright Goes Undercover

It sounds like a classic cop-show setup: A tight-knit team tackles a nasty menace (or two) and makes it back home in time for dinner. But these characters wear camouflage, go undercover in places like Afghanistan, and speak in the clipped jargon of David Mamet.

"The Unit," which debuts Tuesday on CBS, follows a crew of secret military agents on missions that range from recovering lost missiles in Brazil to thwarting a terrorist bombing in Atlanta. Created by Mr. Mamet and co-written by Shawn Ryan, the creator of...